Haris Azhar
Haris Azhar is a human rights defender and an Indonesian human rights advocate. He previously served as the Coordinator of Commission for the Disappeared and Victim of Violence (KontraS) a nation wide group and community of NGOs in Indonesia since 2010. He’s been advocating for human rights issues in Indonesia and South East Asia and has actively participated in many human rights and public interest litigation, events, campaigns and publications for promoting and defending the human rights issues. Haris Azhar has also served as a member of the Executive Committee of Forum-ASIA and has been the Deputy Chair of INFID-Indonesia. Under his tenure, KontraS was awarded “Emilio Mignone Human Rights Award” 2012 by Argentinian Govt and NGO called CLES, and Certificate of recognition by AMAN for the organization’s contribution in the field of Peace and Human Rights. He has been awarded “The New Generation is in Action” by Jakarta Base, I-Radio in 2014, and The Best Activist Award by I-News TV in 2015.
Human rights defenders in Indonesia face threats, intimidation, restrictions on their freedom of expression and assembly, judicial harassment including criminal defamation suits, stigmatisation, arbitrary arrest, ill-treatment, torture, forced disappearances and killings. Many of these crimes against defenders are perpetrated by members of the security forces and criminal factions allegedly employed by the authorities.
